Morimoto...

These used to be little acrylic chopstick holders at the Morimoto Restaurant. Somehow they slipped into my purse and have come home as decorative accents inside our koi pond.

Saturday night was date night at this establishment, operated by THE Morimoto of Iron Chef TV Fame. Joe's colleagues in the Finance Department gave us a gift card and we had a fabulous date night. The restaurant itself is beautiful -- with a bamboo ceiling that cahnges colors -- and looks very Stephen Starr-like. (His partner, a famous Philadelphia restaurateur.) The sushi was the best we have ever had -- the raw Japanese oysters were fabulous -- the crab was marvelous -- and the hazelnut ale was a treat.

We left downtown and had some time still ticking on the babysitter clock so we dropped into our local blue-collar tavern where karaoke night was in full swing. Never have so many done so much damage to classics by the Boss.

Date night is a marvelous thing. A chance to talk without being interrupted. A chance to eat without jumping up and down to get things for the kids. And even awful karaoke beats a day with the Wiggles!